"But when the king came, in the sound of his course, what heart of steel could stand!"
— Ossian; Macpherson, James (1736-1796)
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for T. Becket
Date
1762
Metaphor
"But when the king came, in the sound of his course, what heart of steel could stand!"
Metaphor in Context
Ossian rushed along the heath. Fillan bounded over Lena. Fergus flew with feet of wind. Fingal strode in his strength, and the light of his shield is terrible. The sons of Erin saw it far distant; they trembled in their souls. They knew that the wrath of the king arose: and they foresaw their death. We first arrived; we fought; Erin's chiefs withstood our rage. But when the king came, in the sound of his course, what heart of steel could stand! Erin fled over Lena. Death pursued their flight.
We saw Oscar leaning on his shield. We saw his blood around. Silence darkened on every hero's face. Each turned his back and wept. The king strove to hide his tears. His gray beard whistled in the wind. He bends his head aover his son: and his words are mixed with sighs.
(p. 181)
We saw Oscar leaning on his shield. We saw his blood around. Silence darkened on every hero's face. Each turned his back and wept. The king strove to hide his tears. His gray beard whistled in the wind. He bends his head aover his son: and his words are mixed with sighs.
(p. 181)
Categories
Provenance
Searching "heart" and "steel" in HDIS (Poetry). Text replaced with first edition from ECCO.
Citation
8 entries in ESTC (1762, 1763, 1771) .
Text from Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem, in Six Books: Together With Several Other Poems, Composed by Ossian the Son of Fingal. Translated from the Galic Language, by James Macpherson. (London: Printed for T. Becket, 1762). <Link to ESTC>
Temora was published separately in 1763.
ESTC note: Not translated, "In fact by James Macpherson."
Text from Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem, in Six Books: Together With Several Other Poems, Composed by Ossian the Son of Fingal. Translated from the Galic Language, by James Macpherson. (London: Printed for T. Becket, 1762). <Link to ESTC>
Temora was published separately in 1763.
ESTC note: Not translated, "In fact by James Macpherson."
Date of Entry
06/10/2005
Date of Review
01/18/2006
